“La Voie Héracléenne” et les bienfaits des jardins secs en région Centre by Nicholas TOMLAN – Archives du Calvados
The Heraklean Way
This garden represents an imagined piece of the Heraklean Way, an ancient road aligned by two solstice points linking the Iberian peninsula to ancient Gaul. Our ancestors used these solstice lines to navigate. Someone walking on this trail could follow the rising sun of the summer solstice and at his back the direction of the winter setting sun, he will naturally follow this path. This garden also challenges our idea of what a garden truly is. In the future, the need to be inspired by nature will be of utmost importance in our designs, to give a sense of place, to use local materials and to use the least amount of water possible. These dry gardens also work very well in the Center région of France, where the summers are becoming hotter and drier. They are ideal to reduce watering, and also to reduce maintenance.
Nicholas Tomlan
Nicholas Tomlan moved to France at the end of 2014. He became botanical director at Château de Chenonceau in spring 2015 and created new gardens there while evolving the estate by adding new species. In September 2018, he set up a company to design gardens in France. He mainly does projects in private and public gardens. With his strong knowledge of botany and his many experiences, he designs gardens respecting nature, with plant species that match the locations. Previously, after graduating from the University of Delaware with a degree in Plant Science and Ornamental Horticulture, Nicholas Tomlan spent fifteen years as botanical manager at Longwood Gardens, near Philadelphia. This is the most visited garden in the United States, with over a million visitors a year. This internationally renowned garden is sponsored by a French family: Les Dupont de Nemours.